Join our Stem Cell Discussion & Information Facebook Group today!

The Effects Stem Cells and Inflammation Have on Each Other

Did you ever wonder why your stem cell counts decrease as you age? Is it just a fact of aging or are there other possible reasons?

How You Get More Inflammation as You Age

To answer this question, consider what happens to the body as we all age. Many of us gain a bit of visceral fat – that is, the fat around the belly. This fat doesn’t simply sit there and do nothing. It releases cytokines that increase inflammation in the body. Inflammation is something we can expect the immune system to do when needed but if the inflammation becomes out of control – and causes chronic disease – then technically the immune system isn’t working correctly.

This is one of the reasons why health seems to decline faster when weight hits the obesity range. Combine this situation of immune system dysfunction from obesity or extra belly fat with older, decrepit cells, vitamin D deficiency and a magnesium deficiency and you have a recipe for chronic inflammation.

Inflammation Interferes with Stem Cells

New research is reporting that chronic inflammation – inflammation that won’t go away on its own – interferes with the ability of the tissues to regenerate and doesn’t allow the stem cells to do their work. Scientists have commented that there’s been an accelerated rate of people with wounds that won’t heal over the past 10 years in the U.S. and worldwide. Part of the reasons why includes a population that’s aging, more obese patients, more patients with diabetes and more surgeries that have wounds to heal. Chronic inflammation goes along with all these conditions.

Join our Stem Cell Discussion & Information Facebook Group today!

Stem Cells Decrease Inflammation

Yet, when stem cells are used for wound healing, they may have a therapeutic role. Here are some of the findings that scientists have found:

1. No inflammation means no scars

When fetal stem cells are used to heal wounds, there is very little inflammation and almost always no scarring. To put that in perspective, imagine having a surgical wound that completely heals without a scar, such as after a C-section. On the other hand, old cells are incapable of responding to normal biochemical signals and won’t heal.

2. Stop immune system reactions and you’ll get poor wound healing

When immune-suppressive treatments are used, wound healing improves – but the results aren’t good enough. The scars are weak.

5. Macrophages clean up the mess from inflammation

Macrophages, the pac-men white blood cells that “eat” up infectious organisms and inflammatory compounds, have greater functions. They also increase the synthesis of new blood vessels that feed the healing wound, eliminate debris from the mess of the inflammation and create the matrix needed for new skin to grow. But once there’s chronic inflammation, the macrophages become disrupted and wound repair and regeneration becomes impaired.

3. Stem cells recognize the inflammation status occurring

Stem cells have the ability to sense how much inflammation is in the wound environment. Then they can make adjustments to the environment.

Reducing inflammation allows healing and should also result in strong scars that then heal. However, the environment really determines healing. Many factors interfere with wound healing including malnutrition, cancer, infection, aging, poor tissue circulation, pressure on the wound surface, immune system suppression, obesity and even different medications. Those with a non-healing wound usually have several of these factors – but almost all of them have a common denominator – chronic inflammation.

5. Macrophages clean up the mess from inflammation

Macrophages, the pac-men white blood cells that “eat” up infectious organisms and inflammatory compounds, have greater functions. They also increase the synthesis of new blood vessels that feed the healing wound, eliminate debris from the mess of the inflammation and create the matrix needed for new skin to grow. But once there’s chronic inflammation, the macrophages become disrupted and wound repair and regeneration becomes impaired.

Download our free Stem Cell 101 educational report today!

6. Age determines ability of stem cells to work

One’s own stem cells are limited in their ability to create different types of cells, based on age. The older you are, the more limited the cells are. Besides that, all types of cells can’t be created from every type of stem cell.

7. CD34+ cells speed up wound healing the most

Bone marrow stem cells have provided the greatest clinical safety and efficacy. The CD34+ cells from bone marrow transplantation are the types of stem cells that create the endothelial cells, which speed up wound healing because they create the new blood vessels that nourish the environment of the wound. The stem cells cross talk to the macrophages, and could be very beneficial to create an environment stimulating healing.

8. Spray on stem cells is the latest for wounds

The way to apply stem cells to a wound doesn’t have to be an injection. It could be a topical spray of stem cells.

9. Stem cells use the platelet plug to start the healing

After a wound is created, there’s a temporary platelet plug that occurs in the wound. This becomes the matrix for stem and other cells to invade and transform into a mature granulating bed. The matrix is then invaded by mast cells, neutrophils, and monocytes from the increased circulation and histamine from mast cells increases permeability. Monocytes then become macrophages and deal with the inflammation.

To date, only 50-70% of wounds heal using current medical methods based on different types of medical products, dressings, devices and scaffoldings and cell-based therapies when you look at the randomized controlled studies. Stem cells offer a new therapeutic option that differs dramatically from current treatment options. By decreasing inflammation and providing a rejuvenated environment for the wound, healing will occur.

Learn More About Stem Cell Therapy

Can Stem Cell Therapy Save My Knees?

Discover how stem cell therapy is changing the conversation around how knee pain is treated.

We are a publication dedicated to educating readers on the advancements of stem cell therapy and regenerative medicine. We are a source of news, insights, and educational articles about how stem cells work to fight illness, repair joints, and restore health.